What Dublin's Q102 does

Dublin's Q102 is a Dublin-based commercial radio station operating on 102.2 MHz FM under the "Feel Good Music" adult contemporary format, serving an adult Dublin audience with a presenter-led schedule covering music, news, weather, traffic, sport (Dublin GAA and Premier League via talkSPORT Ireland) and local entertainment. The station is the trading name of City Broadcasting Ltd, an Irish private limited company (registered in Ireland, company number 307754) that is wholly owned through Wireless Group Limited / News Broadcasting, the News Corp UK & Ireland-controlled radio group which also operates FM104, 96FM, Live 95, C103, talkSPORT and Virgin Radio stations.

The station's product surface combines a live FM broadcast with the Onic Player mobile app (iOS/Android) and onicplayer.ie web streaming, which together deliver the Q102 live stream, a portfolio of original podcasts (Say It With Pride, Are We There Yet?, On the Kase, Ireland Said Yes, Socially Awkward, The Stardust Tragedy and others), talkSPORT Ireland live sports, and twelve curated genre music stations. Supporting modules include a refreshed weekday schedule fronted by Kathryn Thomas, Laura Woods, Ryan Tubridy, Brian Dowling, Suzanne Kane, Dermot & Dave and others; the QClub / VIP Club email loyalty programme; the Blue Crew street-activation team operating branded Nissan Leaf vehicles; and an in-house radio ad production studio.

Q102's business model is advertising-funded: the core revenue stream is the sale of on-air radio spots and digital packages to Dublin-based advertisers (sold against third-party-validated JLNR / Ipsos reach metrics of 192k weekly adults, 73k housekeepers and 134k over-35s), supplemented by show sponsorships, event sponsorships (Bord Bia Bloom, Kildare Village, Irish Ferries, Ripples Bathrooms, Ireland's Blue Book), fee-for-service radio ad production (€195 per ad, €150/hour studio) and premium-rate SMS competition revenue (€2.50/text). Listener access via FM, web and app is free.

Name

Dublin's Q102

Legal name

City Broadcasting Ltd

Website

https://q102.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dublin's Q102 is a Dublin-based commercial FM radio station (102.2 MHz) operating a "Feel Good Music" adult contemporary format, serving approximately 192,000 weekly Dublin adult listeners and monetising that audience through on-air spot advertising, sponsorships, event activations, in-house radio ad production and premium-rate SMS competitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM) (MPAIAEAA)

Keywords

• Commercial radio broadcasting
• Radio advertising sales
• Digital audio streaming
• Podcast production network
• Live event sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. On-air Radio Advertising: Primary revenue stream. Sale of advertising spots on Q102's Dublin FM broadcast, sold based on weekly reach metrics (192,000 weekly listeners, 73,000 housekeepers, 134,000 over-35s). Digital options also offered for social and web.
2. Sponsorship and Show Partnerships: Longer-form sponsorship deals with brands (e.g., Kildare Village, Hyundai, Annesley Williams, First Ireland) and co-branded live event sponsorships (Bord Bia Bloom live broadcast).
3. Radio Ad Production Services: Fee-for-service production of radio commercials including scriptwriting and voiceover (€195 per ad). Studio bookings at €150 per hour. Agency voiceovers and cross-station campaigns charged additionally.
4. Premium-rate SMS Competition Revenue: Revenue share from premium-rate text entries to on-air competitions (€2.50 per text for Harry Styles VIP trip; standard rate applies for other text-to-win entries via 083 42 42 102).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Dublin's Q102 operates a commercial FM radio station on 102.2 MHz broadcasting a "Feel Good Music" adult contemporary format to the Dublin market, with revenue generated by selling on-air advertising spots, digital advertising packages, show sponsorships and co-branded live event broadcasts to Dublin-based advertisers. The station also offers in-house radio commercial production (scriptwriting, voiceover and editing) at €195 per ad and studio hire at €150 per hour, and distributes its content through the Onic Player mobile app and onicplayer.ie web streaming alongside an original podcast network.

Product overview

Dublin's Q102 is a single radio station brand rather than a multi-module SaaS platform: its core product is the live Q102 FM broadcast, delivered to listeners over the air and as an online stream. Around that core, Q102 operates a tightly integrated digital surface built on the Onic Player mobile app — Q102's branded home inside the News Broadcasting / Wireless Group Onic network — which bundles the live Q102 stream, talkSPORT Ireland live sports, a catalogue of curated Onic music stations (90s, 80s, Alternative, Classical, Country, Gold, Hits, Kids, Movies, RnB, Rock) and Q102's original podcasts (including Say It With Pride and Are We There Yet?). Supporting modules include a refreshed weekday lineup (Dermot & Dave breakfast, Dave Moore, Louise Cantillon, The Q Drive with Brian Dowling & Suzanne Kane, The Home Stretch with Laura Woods, the Q102 Evening Show), the QClub free loyalty scheme, the VIP Club tier, The Blue Crew street-promotion team, and themed content strands such as Pride Vibes and Select Irish. Together these form a presenter-led radio product wrapped in a digital player and loyalty ecosystem rather than a separate software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Onic Player: Cross-station mobile streaming app launched as the new digital home for Q102 (and sister stations FM104, 96FM, Live 95), offering live radio, podcasts, talkSPORT Ireland and curated music channels.
• Onic WIN
• The Blue Crew
• QClub

Products and services

• Dublin's Q102 Radio Broadcasting Service Commercial FM radio broadcasting service operated by City Broadcasting Ltd on 102.2 MHz in Dublin, delivering a "Feel Good Music" adult contemporary format with live presenter-led shows, news, weather, sport and traffic updates to Dublin adult listeners. Free to listeners via FM and streamed digitally via the Onic Player app and onicplayer.ie.
• Onic Player Mobile App Proprietary iOS and Android mobile application ("Your New Home for Dublin's Q102") that streams Q102 live, carries talkSPORT Ireland live sports coverage, hosts Q102's original podcast catalogue, and offers curated Onic genre music stations (90s, 80s, Alternative, Classical, Country, Gold, Hits, Kids, Movies, RnB, Rock). Free download via Apple App Store and Google Play.
• On-Air Radio Advertising

Quantifiable outcome

• 192,000 weekly adult listeners in Dublin (per JLNR / Ipsos 2024-4)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship sponsor, core sponsor, minor, core and flagship.

• Kildare Villageflagship sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlagship sponsor of The Morning Show with Kathryn Thomas. Joint execution of exclusive floating breakfast broadcast on Dublin's Grand Canal aboard La Péniche Barge (Friday 19 June 2026), tied to Kildare Village's 20th anniversary summer celebration. Onboard attendees entered into a draw to win a €500 Kildare Village gift card plus an exclusive Village experience.
• Hyundaicore sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a website sponsor with link to hyundai.ie. Q102 Blue Crew operates custom-designed Nissan (not Hyundai) Leaf vehicles, suggesting Hyundai relationship is advertising-sponsorship rather than vehicle partnership.
• Annesley WilliamsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed website sponsor linking to annesleywilliams.ie (legal services firm). Standard display sponsorship on q102.ie.
• First IrelandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed website sponsor with tracked UTM-tagged campaign (utm_source=Q102&utm_medium=Ad&utm_campaign=Q102-2021) for car insurance quote generation.
• Ireland's Blue BookcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing co-promotion of multiple Dinner, Bed & Breakfast getaway competitions across Q102's The Morning Show (Kathryn Thomas) and Feel Good Afternoons (Liam Coburn), featuring member properties including Bushmills Inn, Carrig Country House, Currarevagh House, Castle Durrow Country House, The Tannery, Delphi Lodge, Newforge House, Ghan House, Castle Leslie, The Wineport Lodge, The Old Inn, Mount Juliet.
• Irish FerriescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-promoter of the Ryan Tubridy Show Christmas song lyric competition (15–19 December 2025), offering daily €500/£500 Irish Ferries travel vouchers and a grand prize including accommodation voucher, €1,000/£1,000 spending money and a €1,000/£1,000 ferry voucher. Cross-network promotion with Virgin Radio UK.
• Ripples BathroomscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-promoter of the €15,000 Bathroom Renovation Giveaway (12–23 May 2025 promotion period). Includes home survey, showroom consultation, full renovation in 5–8 working days, with the entire process filmed for marketing purposes by both Q102 and Ripples. Includes signed contractor quote agreement.
• Bord Bia BloomflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLive broadcast partnership at Bord Bia Bloom festival (Phoenix Park, May 28 – June 1, 2026) for the festival's 20th anniversary. Star-studded Q102 presenter line-up including Kathryn Thomas, Liam Coburn, Laura Woods, Martin King broadcast on-site throughout the June Bank Holiday weekend.
• Cystic Fibrosis IrelandflagshipOthersQ102's charity partner for the year, supporting local causes and grassroots sport. Selected as part of the station's mission to spark connection and lift mood of Dublin listeners.
• NissancoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerVehicle partner providing custom-designed Nissan Leaf electric vehicles for the Q102 Blue Crew promotions team. Vehicles drive across Dublin creating brand activation opportunities for advertisers.
• FM104flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister station under the same City Broadcasting Ltd operator (alongside 96FM, Live 95, C103 in the Wireless Group). Shared operations including shared promotions team recruitment ([email protected], [email protected]), shared FM104 Roadhog vehicle deployment, and shared Onic streaming platform.
• Wireless Group Limited / News Broadcasting (News UK)flagshipOthersParent corporate group. Q102 is operated by City Broadcasting Limited, which is controlled by News Corp UK & Ireland Limited via Wireless Group Limited / News Broadcasting. Shared infrastructure includes Onic Player app, shared advertising technology (Ozone Project, Octave Audio, LiveRamp), PAMCo/RAJAR audience measurement submissions, and cross-station competitions under the Wireless Group / Onic network.
• Virgin Radio UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister station within the News Broadcasting network. Co-execution of the Irish Ferries promotion with shared whatsapp entry channel (+44 333 00 333 00) and shared Terms & Conditions, demonstrating cross-network programming collaboration.
• talkSPORT (UK) / talkSPORT IrelandflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork sports brand co-distributed through Q102 and the Onic Player app. Provides live Premier League commentary, exclusive talkSPORT Ireland podcasts (INSIDE: The Boys In Green, What The Ruck, The 45, The 65, Mnasplaining), and live match coverage.
• Taste of Dublin / Tasting SpainminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-promotion of ticket giveaways and a 2-night Lanzarote getaway prize (Seaside Los Jameos Hotel) for the Taste of Dublin festival's 20th anniversary (June 12–15). Daily 'Tastes of Songs' on-air game on Feel Good Afternoons.
• Dublin Loves Christmas (RDS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListener event partnership for Q102's exclusive access to Dublin Loves Christmas at the RDS (15 November – 23 December). Includes ticket giveaways to the ice-skating rink and family access.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• FM104: Dublin commercial hit-music station operated by the same City Broadcasting Ltd / Wireless Group as Q102. Directly comparable in audience demographic, advertising sales motion and live event activation, but targets a younger Dublin skew vs Q102's 35+ 'Feel Good' positioning.
• Newstalk: Bauer Media Audio's Dublin-licensed news/talk station, the principal direct competitor in the Dublin commercial radio ad market. Comparable B2B advertising sales motion targeting Dublin advertisers, but differentiated by talk vs Q102's music format.
• Today FM (Bauer Media Audio Ireland): National commercial music-and-talk station owned by Bauer Media Audio Ireland. Directly comparable in monetisation model (on-air ads, sponsorships, live events) and competitor for the same Dublin advertiser budgets, though national rather than Dublin-only in distribution.

Broad incumbents

• RTÉ Radio 1: Ireland's national public-service broadcaster. Competes for Dublin listener hours and a share of national advertising/sponsorship spend, with broader portfolio (Radio 1, 2FM, lyric fm) and licence-fee funding that Q102 cannot access.
• Bauer Media Audio (UK & Ireland): Major UK and Irish commercial radio group operating Newstalk, Today FM, 98FM and other stations. The principal multi-station incumbent competitor for Dublin and Irish advertising spend, with deeper sales infrastructure and a broader national portfolio than Q102's single Dublin licence.

Others

• Spotify: Global audio streaming platform competing with Q102 for listener time and a growing share of Irish audio advertising spend. Not a direct radio peer but a structural competitor shaping long-run demand for traditional FM advertising inventory.

Regional players

• U105 (Belfast): Wireless Group local station in Northern Ireland. Closely comparable in format, owner and operating model to Q102, but serves the Belfast market rather than Dublin.
• Live 95 (Limerick): Wireless Group local station serving Limerick under Treaty Radio Limited. Sister asset in the same Onic network with shared Onic Player platform, comparable B2B ad-sales motion, but different geographic market.
• C103 (Cork): Wireless Group local station in Cork, sharing Onic Player app and corporate infrastructure with Q102. Comparable format, presenter-driven programming and advertising sales motion, but Cork market instead of Dublin.
• 96FM (Cork): Sister station within City Broadcasting Ltd / Wireless Group, operating in Cork rather than Dublin. Closely comparable format, revenue model (on-air ads, sponsorships, Blue Crew-style activations) and corporate infrastructure, but geographically distinct.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/q102feelgood
• Facebookfacebook.com/dublinsq102
• Instagraminstagram.com/dublinsq102

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dublin's Q102